February 25, 2022 |  By Seiji Ishii

Will the Wu-Tang Clan ever quit being relevant? Not if State Bicycle Co. has any say.

State recently collaborated with the legendary hip-hop group on an exclusive collection of bikes, gear, and apparel. The Wu-Tang x State Bicycle collection drops today, and it’s extensive. Three bike builds, enough accessories to fill a pro closet, jerseys, bibs, and — our favorite — a pair of caps.

There’s no way we can get into the details for every product that’s received the Wu-Tang treatment, but here are the highlights.

As you might expect, the honeypot here is the limited-release bikes. Three of State’s most acclaimed builds — the Klunker, the Core Line, and the 6061 Black Label — feature a black-and-yellow Wu-inspired trim.

State describes the Klunker ($500) as a retro-inspired mashup that uses a beach cruiser frame, mountain bike tires, and BMX bars. And somehow, that combination encapsulates the spirit of 1990s hip hop.

“W”-capped grips and an all-black leatherette saddle set off the Klunker’s loud yellow steel frame and high-angle BMX handlebars.

State adds a bottle opener on the seat tube for kicks — you know, where you’d typically find a bottle cage.

The Core Line (complete: $450, frameset: $200) is perhaps State’s most popular and iconic build. Folks (myself included) reach for the Core Line because it looks good, adapts well, and is one of the most affordable single-speed/fixie options on the market.

The Wu-Tang influence in the limited-edition Core Line is low-key. State kept with an all-black frame, seat, and grips, then punctuated the design with bright-yellow hubs and a few Wu-Tang Clan details to match.

State’s 6061 Black Label build (complete: $750, frameset: $400) is the premium option here — ultralight and made for agility. As with all of its 6061 Black Label bikes, this edition uses a double-butted aluminum frame with a tapered head tube and sits on an Essor USA full-carbon fork.

A light, stiff crankset with a 144 BCD, midweight wheels, and sealed hubs make the 6061 a substantially versatile and capable ride.

The Wu-Tang’d-out 6061 takes a motif similar to the Killa Beez Core Line — primarily black with pops of yellow and clever, custom details.

As for the fringe, State’s rolled out two styles of Killa Beez-detailed leatherette saddles, a jersey, bibs, a roll-style bar bag, black-and-yellow Wu-Tang stems and stem cap, “W” grips, bar tape, and even some custom Deep V fixed-gear wheels.

And to round it all out, State’s rolled out a whole Wu-Tang kit, which uses majority-recycled REPREVE polyester.

The Wu-Tang x State collection is live as of Feb. 25. Check out the Wu-Tang x SBC collection and get ya some.

Seiji Ishii is the climbing and cycling editor at Gear Junkie and has enjoyed a lifetime of outdoor adventure and sports, from participant and competitor to coach and trainer, and finally as an editorial contributor. His interests have spanned cycling, climbing, motorcycling, backpacking, and training for all of it. He has also designed outdoor and off-road motorcycling gear. He lives in Wimberley, TX, with his daughter and a small herd of pets. Read more of his musings at seijisays.com.

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